Data Sheet 1_When relief valves leak: directed digital dissidence, curated networks, and critical information exposure across media systems.pdf

Using original survey data from three post-Soviet countries, we explore how these networks interact with political interest and media habits in relation to exposure to regime-critical content.

Individuals embedded in curated digital networks report greater exposure to dissent on social media, higher political news consumption on television, and greater perceived televised criticism of the government—even in contexts where legacy media is tightly controlled. Importantly, when we directly test a core implication of Directed Digital Dissidence (DDD)—that criticism is strategically channeled toward local actors while shielding central authorities—we find limited evidence of a pronounced local–central gradient.